Ringing

Even though it was dull and heavily overcast yet again - We spent a few very busy hours at Badaan this afternoon - Wheatear galor with a few warblers thrown for our delight. We trapped ten birds of six species - Isaballine, Desert, and Pied Wheatear, Stonechat, Eastern Orphean Warbler, a Chiffchaff and a Water Pipit. No sign yet of Willow Warblers but seen were more Lesser Whitethroat, Whitethroat Hoopoe, Blackcaps, loads of Yellow Wagtails and large numbers of House Martins along with the wintering regulars. Reports of Redstarts and large flocks of Short-toed larks and even a Dupont's Lark from E Saudi made up the weeks effort.

The weather continues to plague our efforts however we did manage to ring a few choice species.

Pied Wheatear

Black-eared Wheatear

Another Shamal and sand and dust everywhere with visibility down to 200mts yet again
First bird up today this Pied Wheatear but note the tail markings

The bird of the day

Grasshopper Warbler

Northern Wheatear

Tawny Pipit

Woodchat Shrike

Chiffchaff

This weekend we concentrated our efforts in Saar with our target species Wheatears and Rock Thrush - we managed to catch a good number of Isabelline Wheatears with a few Desert and a single Pied, several more Rock Thrush and shrikes - the Kestrel was trapped in the desert and found to have a home made jessy still attached indicating it had at sometime, had a run in with the local village lads - the piece of string was removed from one leg and the bird was then ringed and released apparrently none the worse for its ordeal. The Stonechat (Badaan) was a loacl recapture having been ringed at the Farm during the course of the winter.